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Established by Alfred Korzybski in 1938

The Institute of General Semantics provides support and training in the methods and applications of general semantics.

Headquartered in New York City, the Institute of General Semantics is a member-supported, not-for-profit corporation established by Alfred Korzybski in 1938.  The Institute currently publishes the quarterly journal ETC: A Review of General Semantics, and it sponsors the prestigious Alfred Korzybski Memorial Lecture Series.

QuickJump: Fact Sheet | Mission | History


Fact Sheet

The Institute of General Semantics is:

• A qualified 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation established by Alfred Korzybski in Chicago in 1938.

• An officially recognized United Nations NGO (non-governmental organization). Our NGO status allows us to share the insights of general semantics with other socially involved NGO entities at the UN. (NGOs are often the most effective voices for the concerns of ordinary people in the international arena.)

• Headquartered in New York City.

• A member-supported organization with individual members around the world.

• An educational organization that provides training in the methods and applications of general semantics.

• The publisher of ETC: A Review of General Semantics, a respected quarterly academic journal since 1943, serving subscriptions to approximately 200 libraries in approximately 20 countries.

• The product of a merger in January 2004 with the International Society for General Semantics (ISGS), established in 1942.

• The publisher of books and other media related to general semantics, with over 50 titles available in our online store.


Mission

The Institute of General Semantics promotes a scientific approach to understanding human behavior, especially as related to symbol systems and language.

The Institute also promotes the application of proven principles that guide advancements in critical thinking, rational behavior, and general sanity.

The Institute endeavors to achieve this mission through:

Publications – IGS publishes its quarterly journal ETC: A Review of General Semantics as well as books available from the IGS Store.

Education – IGS conducts seminars and training programs, cooperates with schools and universities to provide curricula and materials, and offers general semantics information online.

Programming – IGS hosts conferences and programs, as well as the prestigious Alfred Korzybski Memorial Lecture Series.

Community – IGS fosters a sense of community and shared learning among its members and those wishing to learn more about general semantics through its membership program and online resources.





A Brief History of the Institute of General Semantics

by Martin H. Levinson, Ph.D.

Originally published as “A Brief History of the Institute of General Semantics on Its Diamond Jubilee” in ETC: A Review of General Semantics, January 2013 (70:1). For a PDF of the original article, click here.

Institute of General Semantics
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Phone: +1 (201) 745-3693
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Quarterly Journal ETC: A Review of General Semantics

ETC contributes to and advances the understanding of language, thought, and behavior. Each issue of ETC provides the latest research and discourse on general semantics.

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The Institute of General Semantics is a qualified 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation established in 1938.

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